New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pledged to sue if the Supreme Court rolls back Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that made abortion legal nationwide.
Speaking to a crowd in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Wednesday, the Democrat said Republicans in control of the state Senate may soon lack an excuse for not codifying on the state level the protections underlined in Roe v. Wade and called on them to do so immediately.
“We now need to codify Roe v. Wade, which will actually increase the protections in New York,” he said. “God forbid they do what they intend to do, which is overturn Roe v. Wade. I want to get it done before the Supreme Court does that, because I don’t want any gap in a woman’s right to protection, and we have a better legal case when the Supreme Court acts because I will sue when the Supreme Court acts.”
Cheers ensued.
[Also read: Poll finds 63 percent of Americans agree with Roe v. Wade]
It wasn’t immediately clear how Cuomo would sue or who he would sue. A request to his office asking for clarification wasn’t immediately returned.
Cuomo has said that once the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, should President Trump’s nominee Brett Kavanaugh be confirmed, it would have two options: Roll it back and leave it to the state law, or they can roll it back and say it’s unconstitutional, period, for any state.
Cuomo signed an executive order Monday to safeguard abortions and contraceptive coverage in the state, amid concern about the Supreme Court.
Abortion rights groups condemned Trump’s selection of Kavanaugh this week, echoing Cuomo’s concerns that he would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.
[WATCH: Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh answers Chuck Schumer on Roe v. Wade at his 2006 confirmation hearing]
